The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-01-29
THE WOLF-CHARMER.
BY E. M. TRAQUAIR.

There we're sorrow and great trouble In
the house of Michael Tronski, the fiddler
of Aruntra, small village in Austrian
Poland, He had fallen that morning
rom ladder, in the course OF mend1ng
the thatch on his cottage roof, and was
now lying in bed, grooming and helpless,
with a broken arm and collar bone.
Worse still, there had been heavy sick
ness and death in the family. Doctors
bills and other expenses had swallowed
up all the poor violin scraper's savings.
Now that he was laid helpless on his
back, restitution stared him and his
children in the face.
Do not take on so, father dear" said
Marscha, the fiddler's little daughter, as
she moistened the sick mans lips with
water, in a vain attempt to allay his
burning thirst. She was only twelve
years old; but her mothers early death
had made it necessary to be womanly
very early. She had helped the doctor
that day, as he set her fathers broken
limb, with courage and quiet presence
of mind that had won his highest praise.
"No need of any other nurse so long as
you are with him, my DEAR" he said.
"Only see that he is kept quiet and his
mind easy"
"His mind easyl Yes, that was easily
said," thought poor Msrscha, who knew
that there was no more food in the house
than would serve for that day and the
next, nor any money to buy more. Her
poor father had, as she knew, reckoned
on earning enough to keep them for
weeks by playing his fiddle that very
evening at the wedding feast of Janosz
Patusta, the richest farmer in the neigh
borhood. That hope was at an end now.
Still the brave girl resolved to do her
best.
"My children my childrenl" he kept
moaning. Everything gone! Neither
food nor money in the house, and lying
here like log unable to earn more! My
poor, helpless children, what will become
of them?"
"Dear father" said Marscha, God
will provide for us, am sure. Mother
has always told me not to be afraid. And
then there's IVAN"
"Iwan, yes" said the old man bitterly.
"Iwan could have taken my place to-
night if I had not been such an obstinate
ass and insisted on his learning carpen-
try instead of fiddling. 1 was deter
mined that my son should be something
better than fiddler, forsooth, and never
would let him learn. He is we'll avenged
now, and we shall all starve."
No we shan't," replied Marscha. I
made enough bread yesterday to last us
for two days yet, and neighbor Brigitta
gave me some milk this morning. l am
going to get you some now"
My poor, motherless child" mutter-
ed the man. May God help us, as you
say! Where is AnnaP"
"Brigitta took her home with her, to be
out of the way, as she is SO little Drink
dear father" and she held the cup tc
his mouth.
At this moment tall, handsome boy
entered the cottage, with grief and dis
may on his face. Marscha made him {
sign to control himself. He made an an
swering sign, and approached the bed.
"Dear father" he said, 6" I have JUS
heard of your terrible accident, and m!
good master let me come to you at ono
to see if could help"
"No, my boy; there is nothing to b.
done-unless," correcting himself, "Carl
ovitz would let you go over to Janos
Patusta, at the farm, and tell him that
cannot play the violin tonight at hi
wedding. There is nobody in the villag
whom can send in my place. We shal
soon know what starving means"
Father" said the boy eagerly, an
yet with a certain confusion Of manne
let me go instead of YOU"
"You," said Michael =" you'll WIS
could you do2 1 never allowed you
learn even how to handle the bow"
"But l learned for all that" reptile
Ivan, blushing deeply. "Don't b
angry with me, father, but used
practice in the evenings, after the VOL